1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electronically controlled apparatus for the treatment of industrial exhaust gases and method therefore. More specifically the present invention relates to the treatment of industrial exhaust gases by particulate separation utilizing a dry environment. As such, the use of water for the treatment of particles contaminating the hot industrial gases is avoided and hence the formation of residual industrial water is prevented.
2. Description of Prior Art
Apparatus for the removal of particles from hot gases, which are known in the art, use some form of wet scrubber of which there are many types available: condensation scrubbers, venturi scrubbers, self induced spray scrubbers, spray scrubbers, counter current spray scrubbers, packed bed scrubbers, mobile bed scrubbers, cyclone scrubbers, ejector-venturi scrubbers, etc. These are classified as low energy and high energy scrubbers. Attaining increased efficiency requires increased power consumption, and the power consumption required to attain a given efficiency increases as the particle size of the dust decreases (Perry's Chemical Engineers' Handbook). There are many disadvantages in the use of scrubbers:
a) They are large spenders of mechanical energy (fans, pumps, motors and drive shafts). PA1 b) The sensible heat of the gases is lost. PA1 c) They consume great quantities of water. PA1 d) The produce muds that have to be treated. PA1 e) The produce residual waters, that have to be treated. PA1 f) The maintenance is high due to extensive corrosion. The art of blast conditioning, which involves a recuperative system for the transfer of sensible heat from hot dirty exhaust gases to heat the combustion's air, utilizes a heat exchanger and a suction fan. Such a system can result in heavy erosion and involves high maintenance, and furthermore, lacks reliability. Ways of improving reliability and heat efficiency, specifically when the hot exhaust gases contain reducing gases and hence valuable latent heat from H.sub.2, CO, CH, etc., previously developed in the art include many variations, such as: Indirect Heat Recuperation, Direct Heat Recuperation, Clean Gas Indirect Heat Recuperation, Dirty Gas Direct Heat Recuperation, see Cupola Handbook, American Foundrymen's Society, p202-206. All of the above systems use bellow-discharge-off-take, but with wet scrubbers, with the above mentioned disadvantages. Other systems use valves, doors, or bells to control hot gas flows, involving high maintenance due to distortion and corrosion.
Whatever the precise merits, features and advantages of the above known systems, none of them possess the qualities and features of the process described in the present invention, which include pollution prevention, which is preferable to pollution treatment, the saving of energy and the elimination of the use of water, all of which are major environmental concerns in this day and age.